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People who made a difference

There comes a moment, a time when one gets the chance to test his courage. Some takes time to react on that moment and some do not take any action at all, but few does. A moment of courage makes an Ordinary person a Hero, a real Hero who makes a difference. No, I am not talking about Heroes in movies, I am talking about real life Heroes, who have made a difference.

This article is about people who stood out from the Crowd and did what many of us can not even dream of.

Kuldeep Singh was a DTC Bus Driver by profession, not a perky job. He was on his regular trip on 29th October 2005 when he got to know that the bus he was driving had one of the bombs from the series of blasts meant to happen that evening in Delhi. He had all the time to stop the bus, jump out and run away for his life, but no, the brave heart decided to take on the bomb. He picked up the bomb and decided to throw it away from everyone, and while trying the same, bomb blasted. He saved many lives but lost his own eyes.

Kuldeep Singh won accolades from all over India and was awarded with Shourya Puraskar last year. But is it enough? A Man of the Match in Cricket gets more than what Kuldeep Singh got.

Khushroo Poacha is a man who has saved 100s of lives because he cared for human life. Many of us have heard of people dying due to non availability of blood, few of us might have witnessed it and forgotten it. But Khushroo Poacha did not forget when he saw someone dying as no blood was available on time. Khushroo Poacha was not a millionaire, he had a family to look after in his limited salary, but his love for human life and pain he felt on watching people die made him do something extraordinary. He launched http://indianblooddonors.com/ from his own pocket in Mid 90s. The whole idea behind launching the website was to provide needy with blood and to find volunteers to donate blood. Initially, his idea did not take off and he almost went bankrupt with no money left even to pay his telephone bills but he still carried on with his idea. But it was only after 2001 earthquake in Gujarat, his website actually did what it was meant for. People who wanted to donate and who were in search of blood registered on his website and gave a helping hand to each other. Khushroo Poacha is a perfect example of “When there is a will, there is a way”

Sharmila Chanu of Manipur is on Fast since 2000 demanding the Government of India to withdraw the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958. This is said to be the longest running fast in the political history ever. She has been arrested many times on charges of attempt to suicide and on court order she was fed through her nose forcibly. She continues her fast every time after getting released from the Jail. The cause for which she is protesting may be debatable keeping in mind the conditions in North East India but the way of silent and non violent protest she has shown in today’s world is commendable. She sets a benchmark and rightly so is called “Iron Lady of Manipur”.

V Mani retired as a Manager from Reserve Bank of India in Bengaluru, prestigious job. People tend to use their savings wisely on their needs after their retirements, especially bankers. But V Mani and his wife Saroji had a different plan for their savings. V Mani, went passed Central Jail everyday while going to his work and he was immensely moved by looking at children of prisoner who used to cry outside the jails waiting to meet their parents and were treated as a burden on the society and would have become anti social had V Mani not lent his helping hand to them by launching Socare Ind (Society’s care for Indegent). Today his society is housing approximately 150 children and is taking care about their education. Children in Socare are provided Vocational Training as well after 10th Standard which allows them to have opportunities of employment. V Mani’s had a vision and he has used it for the betterment of society.

In India, Doctors are meant to be rich. Dr Ravindra Koelhe, MD had all the qualifications to be rich and live a luxurious life but he chose the other way. After studies, most Doctors head towards places, where they can earn but Dr. Ravindra Koelhe went to a Tribal Region to serve people and not to earn. He runs a clinic in Melghat of Maharasthra since last 24 years and charges only Rs. 2 for the first visit and Rs. 1 for the second visit from Tribal patients. Ruskin Bond once wrote “If you want to serve mankind, go and work among the poorest and most neglected”. We can not count how many actually understood and followed what Bond said, but yes Dr. Ravindra Koelhe is one of those selfless souls who understood each and every word that Bond wrote.

As long as we have people like above and many more who I missed out in my article, we will never be short of goodness around us. God Bless these selfless people.

Article written by Ali Zaffar. This is his first article for GingerChai after joining GingerChai Author panel..